would bring additional tax revenues from seasonal-recreational properties in the district.
Board member Tony Colarich also called for further state actions.
“This just isn’t northern Minnesota,” said Colarich. “Is the state going to let all these small rural districts fail? There has to be some movement. There has to be some big time concern.”
Colarich added, “I know our legislators who represent us understand the situation, but I wonder if the House and Senate really have an understanding of how critical this is.”
Superintendent Anne Oelke agreed and noted that neighboring districts including both St. Louis County District 2142 and Hibbing are struggling.
“I guarantee you Wayzata isn’t having this four-day week discussion - it’s probably never been on their radar,” said Oelke. “The amount of money they can get from referendum levies is insane. They have a bigger tax base and more people to spread this out on.”
District finance manager Jordan Huntbatch pointed to her attendance at a rural school conference and said “the room for the four-day school week was full. It’s all over. It wasn’t just northern Minnesota small schools in that room. It’s all over the state.”
Oelke added, in conjunction with lobbying efforts in St. Paul, that “do they hear us? I have no idea. It’s disheartening.”
After first proposing a $64,282 deficit on about $8.3 million in revenue, the revised budget shows revenue of $8,392,334 and expenses of $8,539,252.
Despite a conservative enrollment estimate, which actually resulted in more revenue than initially projected, Huntbatch noted that there were several other changes that resulted in higher expenditures.
Those included changes in employee insurance enrollment that resulted in $65,000 in additional costs, more expenditures for longterm substitutes brought on by three staff on maternity leave, the hire of an additional paraprofessional and an increase of .4 full-time equivalent in teaching time because of the increase in enrollment in one grade.
The district also faces an additional $25,000 in costs because of student attendance at alternative learning centers, as well as capital project levy usage that was $25,000 more than projected.
The budget picture is not expected to improve for 2026-27, with school officials eyeing perhaps $400,000 in reductions, nearly half of which could be consumed by a move to a four-day week.
